Faction Frozen Heart

[Resurgent Narrative]

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Captain Aetos was huddled in a pocket of what had been a school auditorium, "hey, hey, hey stay with me Caceres." He nudged the bucket head who jolted awake. The building had been one of the evac sites but when the storm zeroed in on the otherwise mundane, suburban sector of Cape Velikaya the auditorium collapsed in on itself and dumped what felt like mountains of snow with it. They could scarcely see beyond their surroundings and Captain Aetos' right leg was broken, Major Caceres' armor broke in the process - as old as it was. His radio began to fizzle to life with the sounds of a voice on the other end. ​

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It was severely distorted. Lieutenant Rajaverde looked over at his CO. "Th-there's a beacon not too far if we just get it aligned properly we can probably hear that better."​

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"Don't do it. LT."​

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"Captain, it's okay, I'll be fine."​

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Aetos didn't believe him. Still, Rajaverde could move and he couldn't. Aetos was with Caceres and the bucketheads, "hey y'all buckets still up, c'mon stay with me." They groaned and managed to sit up right if they could another was pinned beneath a beam. ​

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The cold was bitter, and brutal Aetos could feel it cut through his uniform.​

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Rajaverde faded from view, he stumbled forward and kept his scarf tightly wrapped his face, goggles on and jacket with insulation thermal still worked. The beacon really wasn't that far but the alignment had been fubar'd when the storm bore down on this sector. Carefully he approached the beacon and began to access the controls. ​

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Aetos' comms sparked to life again and he could hear the message.​

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:: First Order forces, this is Moff Renata Westaway, seeking Captain Aetos, Major Caceres, or their men. If you can hear this broadcast, please respond with your location. Uh, over ::​

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He grinned.​

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:: Moff we're in Cape Velikaya, storm was too fast, I've got men stuck around the city, same for the Major. I don't know... if he'll make it. Leg broken, the LT is somewhere, we need evac, now. ::​

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Aetos could only hope his message would get through he kept looking in the direction that Rajaverde had disappeared in and waited for the young man's return.​

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Renata Westaway ​

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[Bellam Malhan]

Caz Ozzel || Resurgent Narrative
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Being in a tank required you to organize your thinking. Infantrymen existed in a world of moments, directed by orders. They were tactical assets, trying to survive and kill the man across from them. Kill enough, and the lines shift. As a tank, he was a strategic asset. Mobile hardpoint, linebreaker, makeshift bunker; all were things they could and would be expected to do.

It had the unexpected side effect, though, of producing an almost detached view of the battle. At times, it lead to delayed reactions. The ice was breaking, and likely, something was going to rise from the depths and kill them. But the immediate couldn't take his mind off the bigger picture - a line of armor stretched behind him, and there was more than just this one ship to find.

Eye to the viewfinder, he didn't respond initially to the vocalizations of the crew. Rather, he felt a cold knot forming in his stomach as he realized the ice wasn't cracking anymore. Something was up. And then, the first echoes of the rumble from afar.

"Full ahead." He said, calm despite the terror in his stomach. Switching to open broadcast, he did the only thing he could think of. "All armored, shelter or high ground ASAP." Tapping his foot to the back of the driver's chair, he panned the view lens to the avalanche that he could hear but not see.

"We get out of it's path, or we die trying."

 

[Renata Westaway]

Renata listened intently to the static, her eye narrowing as she leaned over the panel. She rolled her jaw, trying to ease the tension, and waited, fingertips tapping her anxiety out on the side of the communications console. She was about to turn back to the others when the speaker crackled to life and the familiar if distorted voice of Captain Aetos. The situation seemed dire. The situation here was also fairly dire, although it seemed to Renata that the bunker was at least stable.

She paused and considered things. She couldn't very well abandon this bunker, but nor could she leave Aetos, Caceres, and their men to their fates in the storm. She glanced at Freda, who gave her an imperceptible nod, then turned to the others. "We're going to go after them," said Renata. "But we'll be back for you and the others as soon as we can. Meanwhile, I'll request the First Order forces in orbit to begin moving the population of the bunkers, from highest risk to lowest risk, as soon as possible."

Renata pulled her helmet back on and began working her hands back into her gloves. "I'm looking for volunteers to assist me," she said loudly. "It won't be easy — in fact it will probably be rather dangerous — and I can't guarantee a reward, but I'm asking anyway. These men need our help. I leave in five minutes. Make your way to my shuttle if you'd like to volunteer."

She tapped the comms channel again and leaned forward. "Aetos, this is Westaway. I'm coming as soon as I can. Hold on." She turned to Freda and pulled her to one side. "You're going to stay here," she said. "Not only to represent the First Order to these people and stay in touch with our forces in orbit, but as a show of good faith." Renata put on a sardonic smirk. "These people will assume that I like you, presumably because they've never tasted your coffee, and thus that I'll come back for you. Which I will."

Freda bowed her head and nodded. "Be careful, Renata."

"You too," said Renata. "Now help me unhook this monstrosity from the shuttle."

Seven minutes later, Renata led what volunteers she had back to her shuttle and prepared to launch.

Resurgent Narrative​

 

[Kim Dae-Hyun]

No sooner had Black Leader brought his Thunderbolt down for a rather rougher landing than he had hoped had the deck officer waved him down, gesturing through his cockpit window towards the briefing room just off the hangar. He raised a hand in acknowledgment and opened the channel to his squadron. "Briefing room Aurek, on the double," he said, then powered down the craft. A brief run-through of his post-flight checklist revealed extensive weather-related damage. Although the craft operated as designed in the extreme temperatures of space, adding precipitation to the mix seemed to have thrown a curveball which the sensors could not overcome. He briefly explained his theory to the deck officer who was overseeing the return of the vessels, then made his way into the briefing room.

It was empty, so far, so he went to the sideboard and poured himself a cup of caff. While he had noticed no physical manifestations of the cold within the cockpit, viewing it from so close up had left him feeling chilled. The caff felt good in his hand, better burning in his throat, warming him from the inside. He took up position near the table and leaned against the wall, content to let the moment of quiet surround him. Soon the others in his squad joined him, and not long after the rest of the team entered, an officer from Control and Command brusquely entered, cooling the warmth that DK had been enjoying from the caff.

"Right," said the Control and Command officer without preamble. She had dark skin, bright green eyes, and white hair. Her voice was accented, but DK couldn't quite place it. As she spoke, she activated a holoprojector showing real-time analysis of the planet. "We've had reports from Moff Westaway on-world that a joint army-stormtrooper task force has suffered casualties and is requesting aid. The Moff's shuttle will proceed to the area — here," she said, pointing to the holoprojector where a red indicator appeared, "to attempt a rescue. Meanwhile, there are bunkers in the area that require evacuation. Black Leader, you'll split your team into two pairs and yourself and take three shuttles to the surface. One of these shuttles will follow Moff Westaway in the event that she requires exfiltration and extraction. The other two shuttles will evacuate the bunkers in descending order or urgency. How you split that assignment is up to you. Take a duty pilot to make up the sixth; here's a roster of those available."

DK took the list from the Control and Command officer and studied it. "I will take Shine," he said after a moment and handed the checklist back.

"Very well," said the Control and Command officer. "Your assigned transports are in hangar Cresh Zero Seven. You'll have clearance by the time you arrive. Dismissed."

DK snapped a salute, and when they were alone, turned back to his squadron. "You all did well while we were in the soup," said Black Leader. "I am very proud of the way you acquitted yourselves. Let us continue this excellence as we proceed. Niance, Too-Tall, you will be on Moff detail. Bones and Lucky, you will be in a shuttle. I will take Shine. Questions?"

Tycho Desyk | Resurgent Narrative​

 

[Resurgent Narrative]

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Ataciara followed the Moff, "I shall go with you."​

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Behind the Ursidaan, the survivors there began to speak and wonder as to what would happen. "Listen," Ilanna Ostell spoke and quieted them down with a motion of her hands. "Stay with me, I will help you get out of here, okay? Keep calm and let's get ourselves in an orderly fashion. We will be evacuated from here, remain calm." Ilanna looked over her shoulder and gave a nod of approval, a way to say 'go-ahead' to both Renata and Atacira. Ilanna looked at the Moff's assistant Freda. "Can you help me hand these out." Thermal blankets were handed to Freda.​

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Meanwhile, Ataciara had joined the Moff outside the bunker. ​

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Quietly the Ursidaan tilted her head and listened as the wind bellowed through the mountains. "We must go over the Anadyr Sea, the Kuunga River Valley is in grave danger." She began just as the shouts of other Ursidaans, and First Imperials along with the barking of dogs could be heard rushing into Anishina. The Ursidaan stepped in front of the Moff, as one of her tribemates spoke in their native language. It was then that a small creature no more than three feet tall ran up along Ataciara's arm and perched on her shoulder.​

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A Lutrinaen who held a blue glow, he chattered into Ataciara's ear. "Get as many as you can, stay clear of the Orcinos, and get the Balaenoans."​

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"Our Lutri friends are fast they'll guide our dogs to dig people out, but there is the problem of the Orcinos, my hope is that the Balaenoans will be of assistance. Let us go to your Cape Velikaya and rescue these soldiers." Ataciara stepped into the shuttle and readied herself for the challenge ahead. ​

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"You fight well," Makkituq complimented the dark force user. It was then that he revealed his own Force-sensitive aura that brightened the area more than any sun could have ever hoped. His paw hit the ground with such ferocity that Orcinos were blown backward into the frozen waters of the Kuunga River. "Those men will not have a chance out of this valley if we do not help."​

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And the woman could certainly take it to mean both of them, but it would be clear that at least a handful of the Ursidaan had remained behind with their elder. They gathered into a circle and began to chant and the chant slowly turned to song and their eyes glowed much like the lights that once danced across the sea. The Avalanche and the storm would begin to bend to but it would be clear that they would need more assistance. The dogs sat and began to howl and it felt as if there would be a transformation, the Orcinos would begin to reconsider their choices just as the Lutri rushed forward and climbed upward to perch atop the Ursidaan shoulders and join in the chorus.​

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Their united powers struck into the Avalanche, perhaps buying the soldiers and stormtroopers time to get out of the valley. It would be a song, a chorus that many could begin to hear throughout the region at first in Anishina and soon it would be heard in Cape Velikaya.​

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Renata Westaway | Caz Ozzel | Kassandra Distorith ​

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[Kassandra Distorith]

Creative soundtrack: Nothing Else Matters - Postmodern Jukebox ft. Caroline Baran - Metallica Cover

That the Elder revealed himself as a Force User was not surprising. The strength of his aura and of those around him as they systematically dropped their personal shields was both astounding and invigorating. She inclined her head at the compliment offered, accepting it as high praise from the succinctly spoken elder. His blast of energy was a shockwave that rolled through the ice beneath their feet and sent the Orcinos hurtling back into the jagged ice and pitch black waters they’d emerged from.

A slow, warm chuckle emerge from her blood-stained lips, her steps carrying her slightly back as the Elder spoke and the Ursidaans formed a loose circle, each being with a brilliant, lambent gaze as they began to chant.

It was an experience she would not soon forget, if ever.

Even the dogs tilted their heads back and added howls that served as a counterpoint to the chant, as Lutri scampered up onto the shoulders of each Ursidaan to join their voices to the effort. It was a stunning, startling effect that radiated a level of cooperative power she had seen so rarely in all of her centuries. Standing off to one side, she breathed in deep, the frigid air slithering sharply into her lungs as she tasted the storm’s power.

The large back fin from the Orcino fell to her feet as she raised her outstretched arms, head tipping back as if she was about to join the chanting. A splinter of her soul wished she could, in that moment, but music was not a talent the universe had seen to grace her with.

It had, however, granted her the Force, and suffused as she was with the life and death energy around them, that power was considerably more than she usually had at her immediate command. Kass hummed softly, a soft, low note that wove its way through their chant, and suffused it with the energy and ability at her command. It magnified their power and reach exponentially, lending success to where there had been uncertainty at first.

Resurgent Narrative​

 

[Caz Ozzel]

It had almost been too much for the young private to process all at once, his vision blurring at the edges and a distinct awareness of how fast his heart was beating began to claw away at his consciousness. The dry taste of iron filling his mouth, stale air his nostrils. Followed by a high ringing in his ears - he was locking up. It was as if he was looking at his own body from outside the vehicle even, sitting still at the controls as the ice behind them rippled and cracked - and then a voice cut through the static. "Full Ahead."

"Full Ahead, Aye, aye sir."

Like a machine grinding into gear Caz's arms and legs went to work at the controls, propelling the vehicle forward with a violent jolt. The scopes were still a mess, his vision dialed in like needlepoints. Caz was running almost solely on adrenaline and it was affecting his ability to stay aware of his surroundings. All he could do was hope and pray there weren't any obstructions in front of them.

Bellam Malhan | Resurgent Narrative​

 

[Resurgent Narrative]

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A WHAT? Cee Dee's eyes nearly came out of their socket. An avalanche? Oh because the black finned-backed predators hadn't been enough to worry about?! "I d-d-d-did not s-survive state school, and, and, and the Fall, and, b-b-basic t-t-training t--to become sh-sh-shark bait!" In his panic, Cee Dee had no idea what he was doing only knew that he wanted to survive and with his hands on the controls for the tank's guns he zeroed in on the nearest Orcino and blasted the blubber ball out of the way.​

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Only what came out of that tank wasn't your typical ammunition. It was a blinding white light and nearly electrocuted the Orcino on contact. "I w-w-want to get out of here." Anger seemed to flow through him and it felt like all his emotions were coming around at once. Yet, he could feel the calm sensation of the chants from the Elders all the way at the back end of the road near Anishina. He could see as something rushed beneath the falling mounds of snow, dirt, rock, and anything else an avalanche might carry its way. "We, we, we're going to m-m-make it, Caz, Sarge." He told him rather firmly and shot again and another Orcino was sent backward only this time, Cee Dee got in a quick-fire second shot and turned the poor thing into mist.​

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He was fuming, he was in panic mode, he just wanted to survive, he wanted to be back on Dosuun he wanted to be back in the mess hall. Eating another sweet roll, with the latest 'high fantasy' book the 'Wheel of Eons' in his hands. Or maybe painting his minis that resembled the ol' Clone Wars era of fighting. Not, here, not on an ice ball of a planet with things that wanted to kill him chasing after him. Cee Dee hadn't even realized just how much energy was flowing around him at that moment the tank seemed to be faster than anything else, while white-blue bolts of energy zapped out and struck the nearest Orca who dared to get in his way.​

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Suddenly their sensors were going off, the people they had been set to find? Not that far ahead, now! Now, if only someone could calm Cee Dee down enough to rescue the poor sods.​

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Niance set her Thunderbolt down in the hangar and took a moment to breathe, mentally she prepared herself for the sight of her bird. She ran down the checklist for engine shutoff, and once that was complete she unbuckled from her seat and popped the canopy. If there had been any snow or ice, it evaporated on exit from the atmosphere. She began the process of aiding the crew chief with diagnosing the sensors and other instruments that simply could handle or respond to the ferocity of the snowstorm. At some point the chef sent Niance on her way to get to the briefing while they finished up the work on the bird.

The young woman had only spotted Dae moments before he was whisked away, and decided to grab a cup of caf herself. She took a seat in the day room getting a chair behind her squad leader as she gingerly sipped on the cup of caf in her hand. Niance savored the flavor of caf and waited as the rest of the pilots filed in. An officer entered the room moments later with quite the brisk pace about him, she sensed something urgent was about to be handed down their way.

The control and command officer began their briefing, and she was straight to the point. Moff Westaway commed up regarding a rapidly degrading situation involving the army-stormtrooper task force. The rescuers, need to be rescued and they were going to be the ones to do it. The Moff would be part of this rescue effort apparently. The control and command officer continued on to explain the where and the what of the situation followed by the how.

Dae took the list from the officer and studied it a moment or so, and waited until it was Black Squadron alone in the day room. He then divvied out the assignments. She was to be on Moff detail and so she took a moment to let that settle in and to fully digest the nature of their assignment. "None sir," Niance answered matter-of-factly and waited for their dismissal, time would be of the essence.

Tycho Desyk | Bellam Malhan | Caz Ozzel | Kim Dae-Hyun | Kassandra Distorith ​

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[Renata Westaway]

Renata nodded her thanks to the bearfolk who joined her. The other volunteers filed in, and Renata headed for the cockpit. "Here are our coordinates. Well, a rough approximation, anyway. Our local guide recommends going over the Anadyr sea," Renata said, gesturing towards the landmarks Ataciara had referenced on the navigational map. "Time is of the essence, but we also need to get there in one piece. I trust you to find the right balance."

"I'll do what I can, Moff Westaway," said the pilot. "Will Ms. Saint-George be joining? She was assisting me as a second set of eyes in the cockpit."

"Freda is staying here for the moment," said Renata. She turned the copilot's chair around and dropped into it herself. "You've got me, instead. How can I help."

"In this weather it will take all my focus to keep the ship on course. If you can monitor our comms and onboard ship systems, I would be grateful."

"You can rely on me," said Renata. She strapped the headset over her blonde hair and keyed into the shuttle's public address. "Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats and apply proper restraints. We'll be flying into dangerous conditions, so please be sure to stay seated for the duration of our flight. Because of the conditions, we will be suspending our regular drinks service. Please ensure your seats and tray tables are locked in their upright position for takeoff."

The pilot shook his head as Renata switched back to the operations channel. Control and Command was hailing them as the ship rose from the landing pad. She listened in, then said, "Acknowledged, Control. Thank you, over." She turned to the pilot and relayed the message. "Pilots from Black Squadron are bringing transports. One of them will rendezvous with us at the Cape to assist with exfiltration."

It was a treacherous journey, but with careful piloting, the shuttle finally landed in Cape Velikaya not too worse for the wear. Renata switched on the ship's beacon, so that they would have an easier time finding their way back to it, then went back into the hold, approaching Ataciara. "Thank you for your help in getting us this far," Renata said, then looked around, addressing all the volunteers as well as Ataciara. "Are you ready?"

Resurgent Narrative | Tycho Desyk​

 

[Kassandra Distorith]

Creative soundtrack: Linkin Park - Crawling (Live with Chris Cornell)

It was several moments before she could pull her attention away from the way the Force wove itself into a shimmering, undulating net guided by the Ursidaan Elder to persuade the storm energy and the avalanche into less destructive paths. Their efforts lessened the impact, but it would still be felt, and the conditions were still treacherous, especially with the presence of the Orcinos.

She lowered her arms and canted her head towards the Elder, intending to speak as she felt his attention shift. But something dragged at the edge of her senses, the tell-tale signature of another source of power flaring to life. It pulsed wildly, without much control to it, but the undercurrent of emotion was deep and swift.

Kassandra gently shook her head at the Elder’s inquiring glance. “I must go...our forces are in that direction, and that presence seems...oddly familiar. Reach out to me if you should need anything. I’ll leave a thread open.”

Rolling her neck from side to side to alleviate the ache that had formed during the channeling, she briefly closed her eyes and oriented herself with a dip into the web of energies flickering along the surface of the planet. She smiled and took several steps before her form erupted into a cloud of Kino-bats with pitch-black skin and glowing crimson eyes. The Lordess moved swiftly over the terrain, following the pulses of energy and the wildly fluctuating emotions of those involved in the skirmish.

It wasn’t long before she arrived at the scene, the tank moving erratically in an effort to avoid the open water and the surging Orcinos. If she’d had a brow in this form, she’d have arched it, watching as one of the creatures burst into a crimson mist. Instead, she surged towards the nearest one and swarmed around it, leaving little more than a wet, bloody mess of flesh a few moments later, some spots bare to the bone.

Kass resolved into her natural form once more with a sharp, snapping sound. A moment of pain wove through her senses and she savored it. A useful ability, though one she did not often employ given its cost. Concentrating for a moment on the tank, she stood perfectly still and reached out to the young one within that emanated the chaotic energy, gently tapping her mind against his.

//Try to calm down and remember to breathe...you’re going to hurt someone unless you reign that in.// her mind voice was calm, steady, and firm, though still held a warmth of energy in an effort to help him. There were still people to rescue, and Force forbid if they were too late to render assistance.

A massive black form interrupted her train of thought and blocked her view of the front of the tank. Her gaze narrowed and flooded a brilliant crimson in an instant as she tossed her head back and bared her fangs, the inhuman growl emanating from her throat reverberating through the air. He barely had time to blink and begin a roar of response before she lept at him, energy swirling around her as she drained the life from his form even as she feasted on the blood from his jugular vein.

There was a thump lost amidst the sounds of battle as he fell to the ground at her feet, and she lifted a hand to brush the stray drops of blood from the corner of her mouth.

//Get a fething grip on yourself right this damn minute. You have a job to do and we have no time to waste.//

With a very verbal, and very colorful stream of curses falling past her lips in a string of unrelated languages, she reached down and freed her lightsabers. The boy wielding the Force in the tank behind her was still an anomaly - he felt familiar, painfully so, and it made her wonder if some of her family had survived to this modern age.

But, that thought was neither here nor there, as the pale crimson blades flared to life and she went to work. Kassandra cleaved a wide path through the Orcinos to ensure the tank and other troops had passage to move forward.

 

[Resurgent Narrative]

The prowess of the Sith Lordess Kassandra District, the uncovered powers of the young PFC gunner of the First Imperial Army's Armored Division. The Elders with their song, to hold back the mountains' avalanche, and the predatory Orcinos. The Kuunga River Valley became a treacherous landscape, and still, there was hope. Hope with the found civilians who had long-awaited rescue, hope as the pilots of Black Squadron began their descent back into the fray and headed for Cape Velikaya. The storm of the century had left behind hundreds of kilometers of destruction and had buried innocents within its deadly grasp. The First Order proved that they would be there to help and to show that they could learn the lessons of the past.

Captain Aetos and his compatriots would be rescued, they would recover, in time. Ataciara and Makkituq had observed to First Imperials to know that perhaps a second chance had been earned. A chance to prove that the First Order was capable of change. Rebuilding Needan would take time, effort, and resources but it would be worth it. Those who had survived the snowstorm would look to improve the technology so that should another storm such as this come to fruition. They would be better prepared, and the reporter Ilannaq Ostell would pen her first-hand account of Needan, a planet she had long since come to call home.

Overall, as battered and torn as the First Order had been - they had weathered the storm and endured all that Needan had to throw their way. They would come to find themselves as sentinels over the snowy-planet. Sentinels of Needan, a title some in the First Order felt unworthy of, and yet still the people there were grateful for any help that had been provided. Knowing that the only way forward was to work together and together with the First Order they might just do more than survive... They could live.

- Fin -

[OOC: This is just tying up the story, you're more than welcomed to continue posting or begin posting a reconstruction/rebuilding story!]​